This invention relates to a propane lantern and, more particularly, to a propane lantern in which a pressure regulator functions both as a fuel regulator and an on-off valve and supports the lantern on the propane fuel container.
Conventional propane lanterns are powered by propane fuel contained under pressure in propane cylinders or containers, commonly called bottles, which can be either of the throw-away type or the larger, refillable type. The lanterns are generally connected directly to throw-away propane bottles, and a simple on-off needle valve is used to regulate and stop the flow of fuel. However, since the pressure within the propane bottle varies with changes in temperature, the flow of fuel through the on-off valve will also vary, particularly during the last hour or so of life of the propane container when the lantern may burn with a dim glow. The temperature of the propane within the bottle, and therefore its pressure, may change because of changes in ambient temperature, or the temperature of the propane may decrease as the propane flows from the bottle to the lantern. Because the pressure of the propane may be relatively high, the fuel orifice in the burner assembly through which the propane flows is usually relatively small, for example, of the order of 0.001 inch, and this small orifice is subject to clogging. Another problem with on-off needle valves is that it is difficult to accurately control the flow of fuel through the valve because such a valve has a relatively small adjustment range between fully open and fully closed positions. For example, a typical needle valve may move between fully open and fully closed positions by rotation through only about 10.degree..
When a larger refillable bottle is used and is connected to the lantern by a fuel hose, a regulator may be attached to the end of the hose near the propane container. A separate on-off needle valve and a separate regulator are thus used.